Whangārei man Steven George showcased his steely skills to clinch victory over 12 of Northland’s top digger operators at the Civil Contractors New Zealand CablePrice Northland Regional Excavator Operator Competition on Saturday.

The contest was held at the Barge Showgrounds as part of the Whangārei A & P Show and hundreds of spectators packed the arena to witness Northland’s best operators compete in a range of thrilling challenges.

“The biggest challenge this year was just staying focused in the heat,” George said.

“It was a crack field, with past winner Riki Lum and some other great operators in the mix, but things just all worked out for me in the end.”

The eye-popping challenges competitors faced included lifting a ‘Hercules barbell’ comprised of a pole with tyres at each, building a pyramid with concrete blocks, and slam dunking a basketball through a manhole – all using super-fine excavator control skills.

The Northland regional competition also featured more standard tests of operator skills and knowledge, including a health and safety quiz and an excavator pre-start check.

George’s win qualifies him for a place in the national finals during the Central District Field Days in Feilding next year, where he will compete against the winners of 11 other regional excavator operator competitions for the title of New Zealand’s best excavator operator.

It will be the third time he has been to the nationals and George said he had “unfinished business” in Feilding after finishing third in his most recent finals outing in March and runner up to current national champion, Troy Calteaux of Otago, in 2023.

CCNZ Northland Branch Chair Kylie Bourke congratulated George on the victory, commenting that the standard of competition this year had made for a “fierce battle”.

“The weather was incredible and the crowds flocked to see the operators in action at the competition, which turned out to be one of the main attractions of the A & P Show,” she said.

Bourke said after the course organiser Ryan Hayward visited CCNZ’s national excavator competition in March, Northland’s regional course had been designed along the same lines to give the regional winner the best chance of success at the national competition in 2025.   

The CCNZ CablePrice Northland Regional Excavator Operator Competition had a long history and was now a firm fixture of the region’s civil construction calendar, she said

Doug the Digger’s mini-dig experience ran alongside the competition course, where kids of all ages could test out their ability to operate an excavator.

“Providing a stage for Northland’s finest excavator operators to show off their skills was a great way to recognise their talents and open the hordes of excited kids’ minds to the possibilities of excavator operating and civil construction as a career choice.

Sponsors this year included CablePrice, Humes, First Gas, Hirepool, Connexis and Attach2, along with a large number of local businesses and supporters.

“Many thanks to the sponsors, supporters and volunteers that came together to make this event possible,” Bourke said.

“A lot of people passionate about our awesome industry in Northland gave up their time to help out and they deserve a round of applause for their efforts.”

Winners: CCNZ CablePrice Northland Regional Excavator Operator Competition

• First: Steven George, Steven George Contracting.
• Second: Riki Lum, Clements Contractors.
• Third: Kiel Brown, Steve Bowling Contracting.
  

Northland excavator operator competition winner Steven George (right).

Excavators out in the sun on the Northland course.

A young operator enjoying the Doug the Digger mini-dig experience which ran alongside the Northland competition course.